If you love love love cheesecake, this is a must have. This is recipe is from a bakery I used to work for that has been sadly closed for some years. I have tweaked it on and off over the years to make it easier for home baking. I also played around with different berry mixes and jams and curds. This cheesecake is unique in that the berries are layered in the middle of the batter, instead of as a sauce on the top. It’s a rather intensive recipe and takes time, but well worth the effort!

Berry Crumble Cheesecake

~Crust:

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1/3 C sugar

1/3 C melted butter

Mix ingredients and press into the bottom of a prepared 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. After crust is done, raise oven to 450 degrees.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar until incorporated scrapping often. Add eggs one at a time, scrapping after each egg. HOWEVER, do not over beat your batter. Now you can add the vanilla and citrus of choice.

Pour half the batter over the crust. Sprinkle half the crumble over the top of the batter. Now carefully top the crumble with the berry mix. Pour the rest of the batter in the pan. Top with the remaining crumble.

~Baking:

Bake for 15 minutes at 450 (lay a piece of foil over the top to prevent it from browning too fast. Take the foil off after the 15 minutes). Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. When you remove your cheesecake from the oven, immediately run a thin knife along the edges, pressing the knife against the wall of the pan to loosen the top. This prevents cracking as the cheesecake cools and contracts.

Wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake.

*Berry Combo’s

Strawberry, Raspberry, or Blueberry with Orange Marmalade or Lemon Curd

Picnic Season is here! I love a good picnic with family and friends. I don’t picnic as often as I like, but this summer have a couple planned already.

This weekend marks the Josephine County Relay for Life event in Grants Pass, Oregon. My husbands team raised over $10,000.00. The team brought a huge potluck, picnic dinner together to eat at the track. Hamburgers, chicken, hot dogs and salads. Hubby made my All American Macaroni Salad.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and macaroni and cook until nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water until cool. Chill macaroni in refrigerator until cold.

I am posting on of my all time favorite recipes. My Aunt Karen’s Oven Caramel Popcorn. It is the best caramel corn I have ever ever had. For a fund raiser for my husbands Relay for Life team, I made two batches. I packaged them in clear cellophane bags with descriptions and sold 4 ounces for $2.00 per bag. They sold well!

Boil brown sugar, butter and corn syrup for five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt soda and butter flavoring. Stir fast and well. Pour over popped corn and stir well. Spread on cookie sheets and bake one hour at 200 degrees stirring every 15 minutes.

Store in closed container.

*Please note – the butter flavoring is actually a very important ingredient. Hard to find but worth the search. It will be located with vanilla, orange, lemon and other flavorings in the baking isle. I have tried this recipe with out and I could taste the difference.

I have also added salted peanuts at times, and drizzled melted dark chocolate over the caramel corn once it has cooled.

Aunt Karen with me and my brother. He was always the center of attention!

In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar and the all purpose flour. Beat vigorously for one minute. Dough should be the consistency of cake batter. Place a towel across the bowl. Find a warm spot in the kitchen or use the oven set at 150 and let the dough rise for 30 minutes or until double.

After 30 minutes stir the dough and add the semolina flour, salt and olive oil. Mix well. Place dough on heavily floured surface and knead well for 8 minutes adding additional flour as needed. This is a very sticky dough so make sure your hands and counter are floured well.

Form the dough into 2 balls (at this point you can freeze the dough or use it to make pizza’s immediately).

When ready, place dough on a pizza peel that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. Press dough out with hands over peel. I usually make mine misshaped but loosely in a circle.

Slide dough rounds on grill, medium heat. Grill until top of dough puffs and underside is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn rounds over. Grill 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet with well-grilled side up. This side of the dough becomes the surface that will hold the toppings. Lower grill to a low setting.

Top with your favorite toppings.

Return pizzas to grill. Close grill or cover pizzas loosely with foil. Grill until cheeses melt and dough is cooked through and browned, using tongs to rotate pizzas for even cooking, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to plates.

Slide dough round on grill, medium heat. Grill until top of dough puffs and underside is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn rounds over. Grill 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet with well-grilled side up. This side of the dough becomes the surface that will hold the toppings. Lower grill to a low setting.

Spoon pizza sauce on top of pizza leaving about 1/4 from edge of dough free of sauce. Layer mozzarella slices first. Top with Buffalo Salami. Return pizzas to grill. Close grill or cover pizzas loosely with foil. Grill until cheeses melt and dough is cooked through and browned, using tongs to rotate pizzas for even cooking, about 8-10 minutes. Let sit about 2-3 minutes before cutting.

Slide dough round on grill, medium heat. Grill until top of dough puffs and underside is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn rounds over. Grill 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet with well-grilled side up. This side of the dough becomes the surface that will hold the toppings. Lower grill to a low setting.

Brush pizza top with small amount of Olive Oil, leaving about 1/4 from edge of dough free of oil. Sprinkle with crushed garlic. Layer mozzarella slices first. Top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with whole basil leaves. Return pizzas to grill. Close grill or cover pizzas loosely with foil. Grill until cheeses melt and dough is cooked through and browned, using tongs to rotate pizzas for even cooking, about 8-10 minutes. Let sit about 2-3 minutes before cutting.

Slide dough round on grill, medium heat. Grill until top of dough puffs and underside is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn rounds over. Grill 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet with well-grilled side up. This side of the dough becomes the surface that will hold the toppings. Lower grill to a low setting.

Brush pizza top with small amount of Olive Oil, leaving about 1/4 from edge of dough free of oil. Sprinkle blue cheese evenly over pizza. Arrange mushrooms and roasted garlic. Return pizzas to grill. Close grill or cover pizzas loosely with foil. Grill until cheeses melt and dough is cooked through and browned, using tongs to rotate pizzas for even cooking, about 8-10 minutes. Let sit about 5 minutes before cutting. This helps the blue cheese to set, otherwise you’ll have a runny mess when you cut it.